Google’s Search Central has issued new best practices for content optimization in the age of AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Here’s a streamlined guide to help your content stay competitive and visible.
1. Create People-First, Non-Commodity Content
Focus on original content that satisfies specific user intent. Delve deeply into topics, address follow-up questions, and prioritize clarity. Use Google’s helpful content guidance to refine your approach.
2. Deliver an Outstanding Page Experience
Prioritize clean design, fast load speeds, mobile responsiveness, and easy navigation. Avoid clutter or distracting elements that hinder usability.
3. Ensure Crawlability and Indexability
Meet Google’s technical requirements:
- Return an HTTP 200 status
- Include indexable content
This ensures your content can be featured in AI-generated results.
4. Use Visibility Controls Strategically
Manage how your content appears in AI features using tags like:
- nosnippet
- data-nosnippet
- max-snippet
- noindex
Remember: Overly restrictive settings can reduce AI visibility.
5. Align Structured Data with Visible Content
Structured data helps surface your content in rich results. Ensure your markup:
- Accurately reflects on-page content
- Complies with Google’s structured data guidelines
- Passes validation via Google tools
6. Embrace Multimodal Content Formats
Enhance your pages with quality visuals — images, videos, and product assets. Maintain up-to-date info in:
- Google Merchant Center
- Google Business Profile
This prepares your site for AI searches driven by images or screenshots.
7. Measure Real Engagement, Not Just Clicks
Traffic from AI Overviews may be lower in volume but are higher in quality. Focus on engagement metrics
like:
- Time-on-site
- Signups
- Conversions
Optimize for these outcomes, not just raw clicks.
8. Adapt to Evolving Search Behaviors
- Search behavior is evolving beyond traditional “ten blue links.”
- Users now interact through voice commands, image-based queries, and AI-generated answers.
- AI Overviews and AI Mode represent a new frontier in how content is discovered.
Success in Google’s AI-powered search experiences depends on combining technical optimization, user-focused content, and a willingness to evolve. Use these 8 strategies to stay ahead — and stay seen.